Sanding nozzle



Oct. 19, 1948. J, D, s yg gooL 2,451,878

SANDING NOZZLE Filed Oct. 15, 1946 @Mwm.

, I Attorneys Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANDING NOZZLE John D. 'Savercool, Cranford, N. J.

Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,389

The present invention relates to locomotive and similar track sanders in general, and has morespecific reference to sanddelivery and feed ingpipes, especially an improved-discharge nozzle for such pipes.

In the operation of currently designed sand pipe nozzles, we utilize and rely .on a jet of air blowing sand from a usual trap .adjacent to and immediately below the sand box. After the sand has left the trap. in some instances, there is a booster jet of air which increases the velocity of the sand down the sand pipe. As the result of the air and the sharp drop of the pipe the sand attains considerable velocity its downward path so that it leaves a 1 pipe at considerable velocity, resulting, as the pipe and nozzle is directed toward the juncture of the wheel and the rail, in much of the sand rebounding from the rail or from the rim of the wheel and, by large, only the sand that is jammed in the juncture of the wheel rim and rail is effectively used.

The present invention has to do with an improved sand discharging and depositing nozzle whose discharge end is so constructed and shaped in relation to the ball of there/i1 and periphery of the flanged wheel as to minimize the amount of sand wasted due to the aforementioned rebounding and, also, to deposit the greater part of the main stream of sand vertically and downwardly on the rail providing a coating of sand that is susceptible of more 'efiective and adequate use. Briefly, and by way of introduction, the desired results are attained in a structure wherein the exit end of the round sand pipe is drawn into a nozzle opening which has an area substantially less than the area of the pipe diameter. The air and sand rushing down the pipe together will somewhat jam at the inside of this orifice, resulting in only a small quantity of the sand being ejected from the end of the sand pipe tip into the juncture of the wheel and the rail. Sufficient sand is thereby placed at the point of traction to permit the wheel to grip and roll forward. As a result of this jamming action on the inside of the nozzle, the surplus and greatest portion of the sand exhausts itself from a hole in the bottom of the sand pipe immediately behind the exit orifice. Through this hole sand drops directly to the rail providing an adequate surface of sand to permit proper adhesion of the wheel to the rail and. therefore, proper traction.

As the result of my improvements, the amount of booster air may be decreased and the volume of sand necessary to obtain proper traction may, also, be decreased as the waste of sand under my 2 Claims. (Cl. 291-46) 2 method of deposit is less than by other presently :known methods.

, From the foregoing, it will be evident that the gist of the invention resides in the provision of :a nozzle characterized by a unique and reliable discharge end in which the lesser stream of sand is ejected into the existing crotch of the :pocketbetween the wheel and ball of the rail :andithe main and more effective stream of sand is laid as it were, on the tread of said ball.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the VIEWS! Figure 1 is anelevational view, that is an end elevation showing the nozzle end construction in relationto a conventional rail and cross tie.

Figure 2 is a side view with the exit or dis- :o'harge :endof said nozzle broken away and shown in section to bring out the construction and arrangement of details more effectively.

Figure 3. is a bottom plan view of the discharge .end of said nozzle.

Figure 4 is also an enlarged view with a portion broken away and shown in section, and

Figure 5 is a small somewhat diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the nozzle cooperates with the locomotive wheel .and track.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals and to Figure 2, it will be seen that a fragmentary portion of a cross-tie is indicated at A and a fragmentary portion of a track or rail at B. The usual depending sand delivery pipe is indicated at C. This is connected in a customary fashion with the trap of a sand box (not shown), and the air supply pipe and air booster pipe, if needed, is connected thereto, according to custom. I It is understood that I am not interested in the usual structural devices employed for delivering or feeding sand under pressure to a rail sanding nozzle, but in the nozzle itself. The nozzle is here denoted by the numeral 6 and has its threaded end secured by a union or coupling 1 to the sand delivery pipe C. I am primarily interested, as the description has indicated, in the use of a pipe forming the nozzle, said pipe being primarily cylindrical in crosssectional form and denoted by the numeral 1 and having the curvature indicated in the drawings, the discharge end thereof being flattened and drawn out to provide the discharge nozzle portion, as shown, This means that the nozzle c0mprises a downwardly inclined top wall 9, converging side walls I and a flat bottom wall I I. These four tapering walls serve in defining a nozzle which is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional form as shown in Figure 2. The discharge orifice is, as before indicated, of a total area considerably less than the diameter of the main passage in the body or pipe 8. The fiat bottom I I is substantially parallel to the tread of the track rail B and is provided with a substantially oval discharge port or aperture 13. This is also of a restricted area and is located at a point inwardly of the exit I2. The stream of sand issuing through the exit I2 is denoted by the numeral l4 and the stream or deposit of sand issuing through the port I3 is indicated at the point l5.

As before explained, the principal amount or stream of sand issues and drops through the port l3 onto the tread of the rail inwardly of the stream M, the latter being of lesser force and power. By having these simultaneously distributed sand-streams and of different velocities because of the restriction in the formation of the nozzle, and provision of the deposit hole 53, it is evident that a more'effective placement of sand is assured. The principle of construction is that prior art devices with which I am familiar depend on force-feeding and direct issuing of the jet whereas I depend on a jet on the one hand and a sand deposit, which is properly spread, on the other hand, these operating in properly located and timed relationship.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a structural combination of the class described, a track rail, a car wheel thereon, a sand delivery pipe adapted for connection. at one end with a source of sand supply and restricted air delivery means, and a sand dispensing nozzle unit connected to the lower said and air discharge end of said delivery pipe, said nozzle unit being longitudinally curved and having an elongated cylindrical body portion and a tapered tip constituting a discharge end, said tapered tip being substantially rectangular in cross-sectional form and including converging side walls, a downwardly tapered wall, and a complemental rectilinearly straight bottom wall, said walls combining and defining a restricted sand issuance orifice of a cross-section considerably less than the crosssection of said body, and said bottom wall having an opening, said opening being spaced inwardly from said orifice, whereby sand is discharged simultaneously through said issuance orifice and bottom opening, the discharging sand from the latter being deposited on that portion of the rail beneath said opening.

2. A nozzle unit for attachment to a sand discharge pipe in a conventional-type track sander construction, said nozzle being a length of pipe embodying a cylindrical portion adapted for connection at one end with a coacting part of the track sander to receive pressured sand laden air, the opposite discharge end of said body being reduced and flattened to provide a tip portion, said tip portion being adapted for discharge of the air and sand and having a downwardly inclined horizontal top wall, said wall being flat, flat converging vertical side walls and a substantially fiat horizontal bottom wall, the discharge end of said tip portion being of an area considerably less than the cross section of said body, and said bottom wall having a discharge opening, said opening being spaced inwardly from the discharge end of the tip portion whereby, in use, sand is discharged simultaneously through said discharge end as well as through said bottom opening.

' JOHN D. SAVERCOOL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 771,539 Doyle et a1 Oct. 4, 1904 1,247,592 Steen NOV. 20, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 923 Great Britain 1913 

